Political data handbook : OECD countries /

Reasonably priced and authoritative, this book provides current, complete, and expanded statistical and political information on the 24 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development--19 Western European and five other industrial nations. The first section (strongest in the book) provides tables that compare statistical information from authoritative sources. The tables cover varying years, 1950-94. The authors state the data is basically raw, hence it can be manipulated as needed. The book emphasizes government and political data, but also provides basic economic and social information. Several new tables include five for government structure (e.g., female representation in parliaments and government formations and dissolutions, 1990-94). Section 2 provides information on the government structure of each of the countries. Information is updated to 1994 and includes educational data and national income and expenditures. Similar information can be found in sources like Statesman's Year Book, Political Handbook of the World, and Europa World Year Book. The brief third section provides addresses of data archives in social sciences, official sources for national statistics, and a bibliography. Highly recommended for academic libraries. K. Y. Stabler; New Mexico State University